Replacing 92 MAxima front struts..?

Its not that hard. Certainly easier than a lot of engine related jobs. You just have to pay careful attention when they tell you not to take off certain nuts until the spring compressors are in place or you might have parts being shot through your head by springs that are strong enough to hold up a car.

Check on tirerack.com. I believe you will find some aftermarket choices for struts. You will also need to replace the associated rubber mounts, etc. They can be harder to find.

You will need a spring compressor. Autozone and some of the other parts chains will lend them to you.

It will cost you around $100 per wheel to buy good quality parts and do it yourself, plus the car will need an immediate wheel alignment once the new parts are on. Expect to pay at least double that to have it done.

In the current line up, the Altima and the Maxima are built on the same platform. Basically the same car with slightly different options (Maxima having the more expensive choices).

My opinion is that the 2005 Altima w/V6 is probably even nicer than your '92, thanks to the interior updates. Last year's interior was cheap & cheezy, I thought. The Maxima is mostly a size upgrade compared to the Altima, though it is also a bit quieter and smoother. But if you like your Maxima, then the new Altima won't make you believe you took a step down.

Agreed. Get a Haynes or Chilton to give you direction on which to do when. Basically you do this:

About losing your head - front springs are very sturdy and have the loaded energy of a small cannon. It's a safe procedure to do, as long as you keep both ends of the spring assembly pointed in a safe direction any time the spring is compressed. The rears are small enough the compressor is almost not necessary. A helper is very good to have during reassembly, as it takes a couple hands to position the strut assy and another hand to thread on the nuts above the fender.

Aka. Macpherson strut compressor.

Dave